By Bill Poovey
The Associated Press

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Betty Moorer stands out from the other employees selling burgers and fries at a Krystal restaurant.

For one thing, she's the only one wearing a gold shirt. She's the only one with a name tag identifying her as a "master cashier." And she's also the only one getting paid extra for being friendly and courteous to customers.

Moorer, who has worked at Krystal in south Chattanooga, Tenn., for three years, is the first employee in the 425-restaurant chain to achieve the special designation as part of a program to combat complaints of indifferent and surly fast-food service.

"A smile and a greeting never hurt anybody as far as I know," Moorer said.

Fred Exum, president and chief executive of the 71-year-old company, said he's certain Moorer's friendly, extroverted personality and good cashier skills are paying off for Krystal.

"She has customers just coming in to see her," he said.

The promotion to master cashier and the special training also put extra money in Moorer's pocket. She makes about $1 to $1.50 an hour more than co-workers, whose entry-level pay is about 80 cents above the federal minimum wage, $5.15.

Exum said he will eventually have a master cashier in each of the Chattanooga-based company's restaurants in 12 Southeastern states.

"It's unique as far as I know," Exum said. "This is going to be something that sets us apart from everybody else."

Krystal, known for its miniature, square hamburgers on steamed rolls, opened its first restaurant in Chattanooga in late 1932, making it the second-oldest fast-food restaurant in the nation. It's a Southern rival to White Castle burgers sold in the North.

Like other fast-food restaurants, Krystal struggles to find low-wage employees who are polite, friendly and efficient. And like its competitors, courtesy is part of employee training.

A 2001 survey commissioned by the St. Louis Better Business Bureau and bureaus in four other cities found that fast-food restaurants got the lowest marks for customer service among 11 different types of business.

Rude employees, particularly cashiers, "can make a lot of good food look terrible," Exum said.

It's a difficult task because American culture has grown more crass in recent years, making it even tougher to find polite cashiers, said Exum, who was promoted to Krystal's top job in November after six years as chief operating officer.

"Common courtesy is just not something that comes in the door any more," Exum said. "That is the biggest problem the service industry has. ... Just to say thank you - that can be lost on people."

As a result, fast-food restaurants and other quick-service businesses are in a fierce competition for quality workers.

Steven Anderson, president and chief executive of the National Restaurant Association in Washington, said promotions and higher wages for employees based on exemplary courtesy "sounds like a great idea and a unique way to do it."

Heather Oldani, a spokeswoman for McDonald's, agreed that finding quality employees is a key challenge for the Oak Brook, Ill.-based fast food giant.

McDonald's trains its managers and crews to provide fast and friendly service, Oldani said, and some restaurants have a hospitality host to "help moms who have lots of little ones, or with pouring coffee."

"Our focus is not just on one position," she said.

Moorer said she never graduated from high school and previously worked at a Burger King. She said her mother, who also worked in the restaurant business, taught her to "treat people good and good things would come."

She said her promotion to master cashier confirmed another bit of her mother's advice: "Smiling goes a long way."

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On the Net

www.krystal.com